There's more to that glowing ball of light in sky than most children realize. From the overall structure of the solar system, to the changing of the seasons, these hands-on lessons open the eyes of young scientists to...

Planetary atmospheres vary greatly from planet to planet. Explore these variations by experiencing the motion of the atmospheric molecules through an engaging simulation. Pupils discover that temperature and mass contribute to...

Pupils are provided with drawings of planet surfaces in order to investigate different types of planetary terrain. They make observations for each planet and discuss the characteristics observed. The lesson plan includes background...

Exactly what do groundhogs know about weather? Not as much as your science students will after completing these lessons and activities that cover everything from the earth's rotation and the creation of shadows, to cloud...

Students explore space science by completing a solar system identification worksheet. In this planets lesson plan, students discuss the different planets in our star system and identify their traits. Students complete an orbital system...

Students compare and contrast ellipses of various eccentricities that represent the shape of planetary orbits. They make a circle with the string by trying the two ends togther. Students calculate the eccentricity of their ellipses by...

Students explore the infrared radiation and the part of the spectrum that is not always visible.  In this electromagnetic instructional activity students complete a lab activity on the different wavelengths.

Eighth graders study the objects in our solar system.  In this space lesson students identify and describe planets, then classify them as terrestrial or gaseous.

Students study soil characteristics and identify properties of soils from different parts of the solar system.  In this soil lesson students divide into groups, read soil descriptions, test and record soil samples. 

Students explore basic principles of seasonal change, ponder the mechanisms that drive these changes, and perform experiments that show what causes the earth to heat differently during different seasons.

Take your class on a journey through our solar system. Learners explore each planet, from Mercury to Pluto, and discuss various features that differentiate one from another. They complete activities related to the topics and discuss the...

Learners explore the different parts of the Cassini spacecraft. In this space science lesson, students create a model of the spacecraft using food products. They compare and contrast their model with the real one and evaluate its...

Students discover that proportions are made up of equal ratios each containing the same building blocks. They, using the Internet, apply their knowledge of direct relationships and proportions to problems in planetary science.

How does Mars move both eastward and westward in Earth's sky? A simple interactive describes the concept of retrograde motion using both color and graphic models. Learners understand that the speed of the orbit accounts for Mars' change...

Students create a biosphere using the computer program SImEarth. They work in small groups to create "Daisyworld" in which they model aspects of the Gaia hypothesis. They form a question to answer and choose variables to investigate in...

Students simulate different spacecraft missions using materials provided. In this space science lesson, students observe and record a planetary model's features from a distance. They relate this activity to scientists' space exploration...

Young scholars explain why a transiting planet causes a periodic dimming in the light from its parent star. They determine the radius of a planet, and its orbital distance, by analyzing data and manipulating equations. Students compare...

Learners relate meteorites to the mantle and crust of asteroids.  In this planetary instructional activity students complete experiments to model the separation of light.

Students apply estimation strategies and proportional reasoning to determine a scale comparing the planetary bodies to Earth. They convert measurements of time and distance using scientific notation. Both the metric and customary units...

Students explore space science by creating a planetary model in class. For this solar system lesson, students identify the many planets and moons that make up the solar system and decide on one entity in which to research. Students...

Students identify the challenges encountered by astronauts in operating a planetary rover. In this space science lesson, students create a rover using their team members. They follow a command sequence from the driver and navigate...

Learners examine planetary movement and its relation to the tide.In this gravity lesson students describe how and why the high and low tides change every day.

High schoolers explore the possibility of an asteroid hitting planet earth. In this planetary lesson students complete a lab activity to see the effects of an asteroid hitting earth and compare different craters.

Students assess whether there is liquid water on Mars by analyzing images and data.  In this planetary lesson students analyze temperature and pressure graphs and hypothesize about how water could have flowed on Mars.